Leslie Crocker Snyder

Leslie Crocker Snyder (born 1942) is an American lawyer and former judge, most notable for her challenge of Robert Morgenthau in the Democratic Party primary for the Manhattan District Attorney election in 2005.

Legal career

After attending the Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Snyder was admitted to the Ohio State Bar in 1966 and the New York State Bar in 1967, Leslie Crocker Snyder has worked in the New York criminal justice system for over thirty-five years, both as a prosecutor and as a judge. She was the first female to try felony and homicide cases as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's office under Frank Hogan and Robert Morgenthau. During her nine years in the office, Snyder founded and led the Sex Crimes Prosecution Bureau, which was the first in the nation and co-authored New York State's Rape Shield Law.

After leaving the New York County District Attorney's Office, Leslie Crocker Snyder was named the Chief of Trials at the Office of the Special Prosecutor against Corruption. She re-entered the public sector after three years as a defense attorney and became Deputy Criminal Justice Coordinator and Head of the Arson Strike Force at the Office of the New York City Criminal Justice Coordinator. Soon after, she was appointed to the position of a Judge of the Criminal Court of the City of New York in 1983 by Mayor Ed Koch. She reappointed to the Criminal Court Judgeship by Mayor David Dinkins in 1993

While serving as a Criminal Court Judge, Snyder was designated by the state courts administration to serve as an Acting Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Criminal Term. This is a common procedure done in New York in order to provide more judges to handle felony criminal cases. It is easier to designate Acting Supreme Court Justices than to create more judgeships on the Supreme Court. Most Acting Justices come from either the New York City Criminal Court or Civil Court of the state Court of Claims bench.

In June of 2000, Judge Snyder was appointed by Gov. George Pataki, and confirmed by the New York Senate to a seven year term on the New York Court of Claims. While she was a Court of Claims Judge, Snyder continued to serve as an Acting Supreme Court Justice and continued to handle criminal cases in New York County, New York.

While on the bench, Snyder presided over such trials as those of the "Gheri Curls," the "Wild Cowboys," the "Young Talented Children," and the "Natural Born Killers," among others, including those of murderers, rapists, as well as many white-collar, stock fraud and mob cases. [http://www.snyderfornewyork.org/meet_leslie/ Leslie Snyder official website] ]

She resigned from the Court of Claims in 2004 in order to prepare for her run for District Attorney. Snyder is currently a partner at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP. [ [http://www.shesource.org/speaker_bio.php?source_id=219 SheSource.org biography for Leslie Crocker] ]

Leslie Crocker Snyder is also a board member of the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, DARE, Abraham House, the New York Police Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund, Federal Drug Agents Foundation, and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Snyder has been married to her husband for almost forty years; they have two grown children. She is the author of "25 to Life", a memoir of her legal experiences, both as a prosecutor and as a judge.

Leslie Crocker Snyder has appeared on numerous television programs including "60 Minutes", "The Today Show", and "The Charlie Rose Show". She has been featured on news, cable, and Court TV programs regarding crime, drugs and drug gangs, rape, women and the law, criminal law, and law enforcement.

Running for D.A.

Snyder challenged incumbent District Attorney Robert Morgenthau in the Democratic Party primary for election to the position of Manhattan District Attorney in 2005, losing with 41% of the vote, while Morgenthau took the winning 59%. Morgenthau was eventually elected to his ninth term. Of the differences between the ideologies between Snyder and Morgenthau, both of whom are Democrats, Snyder is a proponent of more stringent penal codes for sex crimes and has said she would consider the use of the death penalty in extreme homicide cases, whereas Morgenthau is staunchly opposed to the application of the death penalty. [ [http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2005/08/31 "The Brian Lehrer Show: Meet Leslie Crocker Snyder" - WYNC 8/31/05] ] Opponents of Morgenthau took the opportunity to state that his means of running the district attorney’s office was outdated , while Snyder’s opponents pounced upon the fact that her experience in the district attorney’s office was far more limited than that of Morgenthau, though he has never actually appeared in court. [ [http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/politics/newyork/features/1870/index2.html "The Sixtysomething Upstart" New York Magazine 5/16/05] ]

The New York Times, long supporters of Morgenthau, endorsed Snyder in an August 30 editorial, 'When To End An Era.' They cited Snyder's "unquestioned ability and broad experience" and her "impressive energy" and "new ideas."

In a recent email to her supporters she stated that she no longer supports the death penalty.

References

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NAME=Snyder, Leslie Crocker
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SHORT DESCRIPTION=American judge and lawyer
DATE OF BIRTH=1942
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